Phil Spector Convicted as Wife Rachelle Spector Breaks Down

Rock music producer and songwriter Phil Spector was convicted with charges of second degree murder in the death of actress Lana Clarkson at his mansion in 2003. The Superior Court jury gave the verdict after nearly 30 hours of deliberation and chose not to convict him on charges of involuntary manslaughter. His lawyer pleaded that he be allowed to remain free on bail till the May 29 hearing but Judge Larry Paul Fidler remanded him to custody immediately. The conviction could carry a penalty of 5 years to life in jail. 40 year old actress Lara Clarkson was pronounced dead with a bullet shot into her mouth at Spector’s foyer. She had met Spector only hours before at a nightclub.

As the verdict was pronounced his wife Rachelle Spector broke down and sobbed. She had earlier got a gag order during the trial for speaking with reporters and making statements such as “the judge doesn’t like me” and criticism of the jurors. She is a former Playboy Playmate and married Phil Spector shortly after Lana Clarkson’s death and after his first wife Ronnie had published a book about the years of psychological abuse that Spector had subjected her to. Rachelle has also done a role in the 2001 war movie Tigerland. She was given the gag order following her two separate interviews to CourtTV.com and the Sunday Mail where said that the jury were “12 people who voted for George Bush”.

Rachelle sat across Clarkson’s mother and sister in the courtroom during the trial.